Ocean Colour Radiometry (OCR) Virtual Constellation (VC)

1. Ocean Colour Radiometry (OCR)Virtual Constellation (VC) Martha Maiden/James Yoder Global Biosphere (Sep 1997 - Aug 2000) - average Chlorophyll concentration from SeaWiFS International Ocean Colour Coordinating Group OCR-VC

2. Background/Past Accomplishments • The OCR-VC will provide a long time series of calibrated ocean-colour radiances and derived products from measurements obtained from multiple satellites. • OCR products:Chl-a (an index of phytoplankton biomass and the fundamental basis of biological production in the oceans), CDOM, particulate organic carbon, total suspended sediments and global primary production. • GCOS lists ocean colour, and chl-a concentration calculated from OCR, as an Essential Climate Variable (ECV) for climate monitoring; chl-a is linked to cycling of carbon between the ocean and atmosphere. • The GEO 2009-2011 Work Plan lists OCR as contributing directly to two tasks under the SBA’s of agriculture and ecosystems, and indirectly to climate and health (water quality). • OCR-VC first proposed at SIT-21 (Woods Hole, April 2008) • OCR-VC accepted at SIT-22 (Tokyo, September 2008) IOCCG Ocean Colour Radiometry - Virtual Constellation

3. Ocean Colour Radiometry Missions 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 KOMPSAT-1/OSMI (KARI) COMS-1/GOCI (KARI)- geostationary Oceansat-2/OCM-2 (ISRO) Oceansat-1/OCM (ISRO) SENTINEL-3B SENTINEL-3A SENTINEL- 3A (ESA/EUMETSAT) Envisat/MERIS (ESA) POLDER-3 (CNES) GCOM-C SGLI(JAXA) ADEOS-II MODIS-Aqua (NASA) GOCEP(NASA) NPP-VIIRS MODIS-Terra (NASA) NPOESS-VIIRS C1 SeaWiFS (NASA) MOS (DLR) NPOESS-C2 Planned/Pending Approval Launched Approved IOCCG Ocean Colour Radiometry - Virtual Constellation

4. Current/Future Challenges • Assembling an OCR-VC Study Team • Co-Chairs: Two co-chairs, one from JRC (EU), the other from JAXA • Agency Co-Leads: NASA, NOAA, ESA, Eumetsat, JRC, CNES, JAXA, KORDI, ISRO, INPE, CSA and possibly others. • Supported by IOCCG Chair (Jim Yoder) & Project Scientist (Venetia Stuart). • Preparation of OCR-VC Implementation Plan (by Sept `09) • Phase 1 (2008 to ~2012): Until the launch of ESA’s Sentinel-3 • Phase 2 (Post-launch of Sentinel-3), including VIIRS on NPOESS, GCOM-C and overlap with sensors still operating from Phase 1 (e.g. OCM-2). IOCCG Ocean Colour Radiometry - Virtual Constellation

5. Proposed Phase 1 OCR-VC activities may include : OCR-VC Phase 1 activities under discussion • Calibration/Validation (e.g. SIMBIOS-type activities, support for SeaBASS and MOBY) • Quality of OCR Data Stream (e.g. propose improvements to VIIRS on NPOESS, minimum design requirements) • Merging Data (follow-up to GlobColour, possibly merging with OCM-2 data) • Product Generation (e.g.1-km global product) • Applications (SAFARI Project, expand the ChloroGIN network) • New Technologies/Research and Development (bio-optical sensors on ARGO floats, data from geostationary platforms) • Capacity Building (enhance IOCCG and JRC capacity building activities in Africa, India and elsewhere). IOCCG Ocean Colour Radiometry - Virtual Constellation

6. Requested Agency Commitments • Provide senior agency representation at OCR-VC Study Team meetings. • Fund and encourage participation in activities that agency leads oversee. • Encourage production and sharing of common data and products across missions, especially for cal/val. • Provide free and easy access to satellite data for merging/ reprocessing. • Encourage production of new and improved OCR products. IOCCG Ocean Colour Radiometry - Virtual Constellation